Horseshoer s gage



No. 6|6,256. Patented Dec. 20, I898.

J. E. PLATT.

HORSESHOERS GAGE.

(Application filed June 16, 1897;) (No Model.)

:@TIIQII:

a WITNESSES: INVENTOR goww @Qglm M zomeg NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. PLATT, OF GOSHEN, NEWV YORK.

HORSESHOERS GAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,256, dated December20, 1898.

Application filed June 16,1897.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. PLATT, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Goshen, Orange county, State of New York, have invented anew and useful Horseshoers Gage, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to means for enabling a horseshoer to properlytrim a horses hoofs with facility and accuracy preparatory to setting onthe shoes. In trimming the hoofs it is of great importance that they beevenly trimmed, so that the legs with respect to each other will be ofexactly the proper length and pitch; otherwise one leg may be too longor too short. If a leg is too long, it will be compelled to sustain morethan its share of the horses weight, and if too short it will throw toomuch of the weight upon the other legs. Again, it is important thateach-hoof should be evenly trimmed with respect to all parts of itsunder bearing-surface; otherwise the leg may be thrown forward orbackward or to one side. Because of such inaccuracy in trimming thehoofs a horse of great value is liable to be permanently injured.

My invention comprises means whereby the height, the pitch, and thelevel of the under bearing-surface can be accurately andquicklydetermined and whereby exactly the necessary amount of the hoof requiredto be trimmed off may be determined.

In the drawings forming part of this specification and in which likeletters of reference designate similar parts, Figure 1 is a plan view ofthe device embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation,partly in section, representing the same.

Referring now more particularly to the precise embodiment of theinvention as shown in the drawings, A is a base formed generally of afiat plate of metal or other suitable substance, to which is pivoted ata an arm B, arranged to move in a vertical plane. The main purpose ofthe base A is to form a convenient horizontal support for the arm B,whereby the arm may be quickly and accurately placed in a vertical planebefore the horses hoof. The arm 13 is graduated, as

shown, and is provided generally with two adjustable spacing-pieces band 0, each having a set-screw or equivalent device I) and 0, wherebythey may be fixed when adjusted to Serial No. 640,949. (Nomodeld theirproper position. The piece I) has preferably a horizontal edge and thepiece 0 has preferably a vertical edge. In its best form the arm 13carries a pointer 0, arranged to move over a plate D, fixed to the baseA at a right angle thereto, and graduated in degrees of a circle, so asto measure the vertical angle of the arm B. The pointer O in its bestform stands at a right angle to the arm B and carries a set-screw cl,working in a circular slot d in the plate D, by means of which the arm13 may be fixed in any desired position. E is a spirit-level fixed tothe plate A, which enables the horseshoer to quickly and accuratelydetermine when the base A is in a horizontal plane when using thedevice.

The operation of this part of the invention is as follows: The gage isset down in front of the hoof to be examinedthe left front hoof, forexample -with the base A in a hori zontal level and the arm B thereforein a ver tical plane. The arm B is then moved on its pivot on till thepieces I and 0 rest against the front medial line of the hoof. Thepieces I) and c are then adjusted, the piece I) being fixed so that itsedge rests against the top of the hoof and the piece 0 being fixed sothat its edge rests against the hoof lower down. These pieces I) and 0enable the arm B to be accurately placed in a plane parallel to themedial front line of the hoof. In the case of most horses the side wallsof their hoofs are not smooth, but have protuberances and indentations,and a straight-edge laid vertically along the front surface of the hoofwould not be parallel to the medial front line of the hoof. Theinclination of the straight-edge to this medial front line would,moreover, differ not only between the hoofs of diiferent horses, butbetween the hoofs of the same horse. In my invention in order that thegraduated arm B may be supported against the front of the hoof in a lineparallel with the medial front line of the hoof I employ the adjustablespacing-pieces b and c, which are adapted to be placed against the hoofat points which are in the medial front line of the hoof. In this waythe vertical height and especially the angle of inclination of the hoofmay be accurately determined. The vertical height or length of the hoofmay be now easily read on the graduated arm B, and

the angle formed by this line with the under bearing-surface of the hoofmay be read on the graduations of the plate D, which measure this angle.The proper height and angle of the left front hoof having been thusdetermined, the right front hoof is next made to conform with the samemeasurements, and both hoofs are in this way made identical with respectto height and angle or pitch. In the same way the two hind hoofs aremade identical.

In order to make the under bearing-surfaces of the hoofs level andaccurately measure the height and pitch of the hoofs, as alreadyexplained, I generally employ a light, movable, and "d urable platformon which the two front feet at one time and the two hind feet at anothertime are placed during their examination by the gage. This platformconsists of two separable pieces F and G. These pieces may be made ofwood or other material, each com prisinga top and two cleats or stripsfastened by screws or other means to the under side of the tops at theedges. The cleats f extend beyond the top, to which they are fastenedabout the breadth of the piece G, so as to form a base for both pieces Fand G. The cleats g are fastened to the top of the piece G a shortdistance within the edge of the top and extend a short distancesay threeor four inchesbeyond one end of the top. By means of this constructionwhen the piece F is laid on the ground, resting on the cleats f, thepiece G may be placed with its top resting on the cleatsfand the cleatsg abutting against the inner sides of the cleats f and extendingunderneath the top of piece F, so that the two pieces form a solid levelplatform upon which the horses feet may be fixed.

The platform is used in the following manner: When the horse has beenmade to stand squarely on all four feet, one footas, say, the front leftfoot-is lifted and the piece F is slipped in place, so that when thefoot is let down it will rest on the piece F, the cleats fof which areat this time extending one on each side of the right front foot. Theright front foot is now raised and the piece G is laid upon the cleatsf, as above described, and the foot let down upon the piece G. It willbe seen that both front feet are now on a level platform, where thehoofs can be accurately inspected. The platform is' used in the same wayin examining the hind feet. If desired, of course two platforms may beused at the same time, one for the front feet and one for the hind feet.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a lowplatform adapted to receive at once both fore feet or both hind feet ofa horse and made freely separable along a line between the places of thetwo feet in position thereon, of means for holding the two parts in thesame plane when pressed by the feet, and a gage adapted to rest uponsaid platform and to measure both the angle made with the platform andthe slant height of the hoof alongside which it may itself be placed.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a lowplatform adapted to receive at once both fore or hind feet of a horseand made freely separable along a line between the places of the feetthereon, of a base adapted to be placed upon any side of either hoofupon the platform, a graduated arm pivotal-1y supported from said baseto swing in a vertical plane into position parallel to the adjacent sideof thehoof, and means forindicatingtheiuclination of the arm when insuch position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES E. PLATT.

Witnesses:

CHAS. J. EORDLEY, THEODORE SMITH.

